Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.16.55

dakṣiṇāḿ gurave dadyād

ṛtvigbhyaś ca yathārhataḥ

annādyenāśva-pākāḿś ca

prīṇayet samupāgatān

SYNONYMS

dakṣiṇām — some contribution of money or gold; gurave — unto the spiritual master; dadyāt — one should give; ṛtvigbhyaḥ ca — and to the priests engaged by the spiritual master; yathā-arhataḥ — as far as possible; anna-adyena — by distributing prasāda; āśva-pākān — even to the caṇḍālas, persons habituated to eating the flesh of dogs; ca — also; prīṇayet — one should please; samupāgatān — because they have assembled there for the ceremony.

TRANSLATION

One should satisfy the spiritual master and assistant priests by giving them cloth, ornaments, cows and also some monetary contribution. And by distributing prasāda one should satisfy everyone assembled, including even the lowest of men, the caṇḍālas [eaters of dog flesh].

PURPORT

In the Vedic system, prasāda is distributed, as recommended here, without discrimination as to who may take the prasāda. Regardless of whether one be a brāhmaṇa, śūdra, vaiśya, kṣatriya, or even the lowest of men, a caṇḍāla, he should be welcome to accept prasāda. However, when the caṇḍālas, the lower class or poorer class, are taking prasāda, this does not mean that they have become Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu. Nārāyaṇa is situated in everyone's heart, but this does not mean Nārāyaṇa is a caṇḍāla or poor man. The Māyāvāda philosophy of accepting a poor man as Nārāyaṇa is the most envious and atheistic movement in Vedic culture. This mentality should be completely given up. Everyone should be given the opportunity to take prasāda, but this does not mean that everyone has the right to become Nārāyaṇa.

<<< >>>

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness